A Romantic “Staycation” in Buffalo, NY: Part 3
After an incredible night, we woke up in our beautiful, historic room at the Inn Buffalo before enjoying an exquisite breakfast prepared by Ellen and Joe – parfait station, homemade scones, an egg and spinach scramble, and crispy bacon. I forgot to ask whether I could just come for breakfast every weekend I’m in Buffalo…
After breakfast, we braved the foreboding forecast to venture into Elmwood Village to check out the Bidwell Market. The market was clearly preparing for winter in WNY, and so the flurry of activity was less than we expected, but we will be excited to visit in the summer when it is alive and thriving. However we had a wonderful opportunity to check out the street art, as well as take advantage of several photo ops, including this amazing magenta wall that I lured Scott in front of to pose:
We also checked out a few shops, including Talking Leaves Books and Second Chic. See, this is how I know Elmwood Village and I get along, because I could lose an entire day to books and consignment. This trip I had a tight agenda, so next time I will spend the afternoon amidst the books.
Not that this post isn’t already photo overload, but prepare yourself for the most charming french restaurant on the West Side of Buffalo. Having dined at Black Sheep for our first date night after moving to WNY, we were familiar with the familial connection and had heard buzz around Jill Forster’s newest venture: Lait Cru Brasserie. We had lunch, and it was enough to warrant a future return for dinner. The brick interior paired with floor to ceiling windows and wooden elements make this space as appetizing as the menu. We ordered the grilled cheese on that rainy afternoon, and it more than hit the spot.
We also had a chance to wander around the Horsefeathers Winter Market, housed in the same building, that welcomes small businesses and vendors the chance to keep marker-goers happy in the winter months. There are a few permanent food spots, but those in attendance change every week. We had the chance to meet the lovely ladies behind the Buffalo Black Book, which we are eager to get our hands on in the coming week…
After lunch, we had enough time to run through the rain to get our first ever look at the Darwin D. Martin House of the Frank Lloyd Wright Complex right off of Delaware Avenue on Jewett Parkway. Prior to visiting the complex, if you had asked me about Wright, I would have told you he was an architect and was also the subject of a famous Paul Simon song. However after our tour, I feel compelled to read everything written about this quirky and talented individual who left a strong legacy on the streets of Buffalo. Interior photography was not allowed, and the rain storm (sideways rain should NOT be a thing…) prevented me from capturing the exterior. But the docent we had left me thirsty for another visit to check out the entire complex. After an almost 50 million dollar renovation, the house is open to visitors and is leaning on the support of the community to keep this architectural gem in the process of renovation.
And that was it – 24 hours in the Queen City and we understand now why the residents of Buffalo are so proud of their city. As it seems that when things are thrown out into the universe, the universe listens, I’ll say it now: someday I hope to have a little spot on a side street in Buffalo where Scott and I can go and spend several nights at a time, hopping from restaurant to restaurant, taking in plays, and walking around art galleries. Could happen, no? In the meantime, we will take every opportunity to explore more of this lovely city in Western New York.
(Thank you to Visit Buffalo Niagara for all of the help arranging our stay – you guys rock!)
